A father condemned solitary confinement and called for its removal after his six-year-old daughter was kept from school for 17 days. He urgently requested contact with his child, while the mother continued her lessons at home. The situation raised questions about custody and access in the absence of formal arrangements.
On the fifth of the month, the action centered on Colegio Santa María del Carmen in Madrid, located in La Concepción. Carla, the six-year-old daughter of the complainant and his former partner, had missed ten days of classes. The complainant spoke to Europa Press about the episode and the ensuing concerns for Carla’s well-being.
The man, Juan Manuel Márquez, currently resides on the island of Tenerife for work. He separated from his partner in 2018, but no formal separation or divorce decree had been issued. As a result, custody remained shared in theory, though the girl lived with her mother and her sister, forming a family dynamic that included a new partner for the mother.
After learning from the school that a truancy complaint would be filed, Juan Manuel attempted to reach his ex-wife and the girl’s grandmother. He encountered no success, prompting him to report the incident at the Civil Guard station in Candelaria, Tenerife. With authorities unable to establish contact with the mother, the case was referred to the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office.
The father also attempted to locate his ex-wife through the hairdressing salon where she works but found no trace. There were concerns that she had left Madrid with her new partner and children. A sign in the establishment indicated that the staff had been away for personal reasons, and the mother’s social media accounts had been inactive for weeks.
Given the circumstances, Juan Manuel planned to travel to Madrid the following week to meet with his attorney and press authorities to locate Carla. An association dedicated to missing persons, SOS Disappeared, was contacted and issued a public alert. Carla is described as a six-year-old girl, about 1.20 meters tall, with thin skin, brown wavy hair, and brown eyes, and the search was officially intensified in the afternoon.
To assist with any potential sightings, emergency numbers were published for reporting information, including national emergency services and civil security channels. The search coordinated with the association’s own contact points to rapidly disseminate information about Carla’s appearance and last known location.
In a related development during April, another parental abduction case was reported within the Madrid area. A man claimed that his two-year-old daughter had been taken by her mother to Colombia without warning. The Romanian father filed a criminal complaint with the prosecutor’s office as he sought information about his daughter’s whereabouts. The Civil Guard in Collado Villalba received the report, and authorities indicated that the girl’s mother had transported the child to her hometown on a recent date, with ongoing efforts to determine her safety. Local authorities later confirmed that the child appeared to be in good condition.
The National Center for the Missing and the work of several charities were cited in the ongoing case as efforts to help locate the child. The details of Collado Villalba and the local Civil Guard unit were noted in the public record, and authorities described the missing girl in simple terms: she stood at a small height, had a slim build, with long brown hair and brown eyes. The case highlighted the challenges families face when custody arrangements become disputed and when international borders complicate the return of children.
These incidents underscore the critical role of coordinated interagency response in protecting children when parental disputes escalate into disappearance scenarios. Investigations continue as authorities work with social services and the judiciary to determine custody arrangements that safeguard the child’s safety and well-being while ensuring that both parents have appropriate access under the law. Community vigilance remains essential, and families are reminded to contact law enforcement immediately if a child is believed to be at risk or out of contact for an extended period.
The following context reflects the broader pattern of how cases of this nature are documented and followed by agencies responsible for child welfare and public safety. When families face separation or conflict, clear communication, timely reporting, and proper legal processes are crucial to minimize harm and protect the rights and safety of the child involved.